Seattle Police Ending Its Unmanned Drone Program

[link to www.king5.com] Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn announced Thursday that the police department has ended its unmanned drone program.

"Today I spoke with Seattle Police Chief John Diaz and we agreed that it was time to end the unmanned aerial vehicle program, so that SPD can focus its resources on public safety and the community building work that is the department's priority. The vehicles will be returned to the vendor," McGinn said in a released statement.

-Sounds like win for the people to me. There was big outcry and even small demonstrations over the use of the drones. I guess the people can win now and then.

Probably had to do more with increased costs associated with operating and maintaining the drones. More technical personnel, more parts, labor & storage/hanger fees (not to mention other costs such as paying for new employees to get benefits, retirement, etc).

[link to slog.thestranger.com] Later this afternoon, Mayor Mike McGinn will announce that he is grounding the Seattle Police Department's controversial drone program and returning the two remotely controlled planes to the vendor, according to sources at City Hall who asked not to be named. "The mayor and chief had a conversation and agreed it was time to end the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program," one of the sources tells us. "It had become a distraction to the two things the department is working hard on, general public safety and community-building work."